What a mistake to imagine that by hearing
first one preacher and then another we can derive benefit to our souls! More
is wanted than such hearing. A raven may fly from cage to cage, but it is not
thereby changed into a dove. Go from room to room of the royal feast, and the
sight of the tables will never relieve your hunger. The main thing is to have
and hold the truth personally and inwardly. If you don't see to this, you will
die in your sins, even if ten thousand voices direct you to the way of
salvation. It is a pity that the bulk of hearers are hearers only, and are no
more likely to go to heaven than the seats they sit on in the assembly of the
saints. -- Charles Haddon
Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc, 1990)
The
gospel is always paradoxical. It turns things upside down and inside out.
Blood stains but the gospel teaches that it cleanses. Death is the opposite of
life, but the gospel teaches that it is the door to life. A cross is an ugly
thing, but the gospel teaches us that it is a beautiful thing. We hold in our
hands a crumb of bread and call it a feast. But our experiences in worship
confirm what we have been taught. All these paradoxes and more are true. They
are the very content of our faith. So we do not blush to lift up a bit of wine
and bread and say, "All things are ready, come to the feast!"
-- Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard
Publishing Company, 1997).
A
powerful ruler built a great palace. Among the rooms was one that was always
locked. He called it the Chamber of Memories. Every day he visited that room,
but no one else was permitted inside. Finally one day the servants got a peep
inside the locked room. There was no silver, no gold, no precious jewels. All
they saw was a humble shepherd's robe; the one the king had worn before he
came to the throne. The Lord's Supper reminds us of what we were before Christ
found us and how far we have come.
-- Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows,
(Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1997).
Intro: What
do you say to an invitation that you don't want to take?
Scripture Text: Luke 14:12
(NIV) Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner,
do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich
neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13
But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the
blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be
repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." 15 When one of those at the
table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will
eat at the feast in the kingdom of God." 16 Jesus replied: "A
certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the
time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited,
`Come, for everything is now ready.' 18 "But they all alike began to make
excuses. The first said, `I have just bought a field, and I must go and see
it. Please excuse me.' 19 "Another said, `I have just bought five yoke of
oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.' 20 "Still
another said, `I just got married, so I can't come.' 21 "The servant came
back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry
and ordered his servant, `Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the
town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.' 22
"`Sir,' the servant said, `what you ordered has been done, but there is
still room.' 23 "Then the master told his servant, `Go out to the roads
and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I
tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my
banquet.'"
I. It's
suppertime and I’m coming home.
(vs.16) - Blessed is he that eats bread in God's Kingdom (vs.15)
The Kingdom of Heaven/God is at hand.
He has prepared a place for you.
A.
At His table. Accept His invitation to come to the table.
B. Eat His food. Take what God gives and be satisfied.
C. At His table (Song of
Sol. 2:4; Is. 55:1-3) It's free - it satisfies.
Love, acceptance, forgiveness, purpose, hope, and eternal life.
II. The
inviters/servants go to invite. I will invite them to come:
A. Sent out to give the
invitation: come as God moves you
at invitation.
B.
Not sent to drag them in or capture
C.
Go to those who are poor, maimed, halt & blind
D.
Urge them quickly because it's suppertime.
III. The
invited:
(vs.18,20,21) Where will
you go?
A.
Some made excuses - didn't want to go.
B.
They were already eating at a table.
C.
Would you come to God's table?
D.
Don't make excuses - come to God's table.
E.
Someone will come - but will you?
F.
You must make a decision.
The Kingdom is at hand - it's suppertime. Will you be an inviter - will you come?
You were invited.
What did you say? Have you
come to the table of the Lord? Would
you prepare a feast for needy people to eat?
Would you become an inviter? There
are many out there who need the Lord? Would
you bring them in?
Many have been invited to
come the blessed feast of the Lord, but few have come.
Those who have rejected His invitation has missed the greatest
opportunity of this life. The
opportunity to fellowship with the Lord and His people is a limited offer.
Once rejected it can never again be made over.
Come to sit with the Lord and taste his food. He gives the bread of life and the fruit of the living water
that satisfies one’s soul thirst. Are
you hungry? Are you thirsty?
Are you needy? Come to His table to become truly satisfied.
Excuses are the cradle ... that Satan rocks men off to sleep in. -- D.L. Moody, Christian History, no. 25.